Dave Simpson (writer)
Encyclopedia
Dave Simpson, full name David Colin Simpson was born in Salford, Greater Manchester
. He has over 25 years experience in the professional writing industry and currently resides in Todmorden
, Lancashire
. His current production 'The Naked Truth', starring Lisa Riley
of Emmerdale
is currently in its second UK tour.
mill although writing was always his passion. He started his career in the BBC
and was Resident Writer for the Library Theatre in Manchester for two years. He wrote several plays for them including The Beauty Game, The Cheeky Chappie (about the comedian Max Miller), Soapbox, A Marginal Affair. He also did several Christmas shows, including The Prince and the Pauper, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Secret Garden (which went on a nationwide tour), and The Little Princess (which was then adapted for BBC radio).
is constantly performed by reps and amateurs and the Birmingham
Rep produced a twenty five week nationwide tour. His other stage productions include Single Sex for the Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch, Perfect Partners for the Bristol Old Vic and his comedy, Girls’ Night Out, a hugely successful play which toured for three years and had a ten week run in the West End
in 1998.
He was also commissioned to write the Girls’ Night Out the screenplay for Jeffrey Taylor of StageScreen Productions and this is due to go into production early next year. His other films include LOVE TIES which received development money from the MEDIA programme of the European Union, RAVING BEAUTIES, and LOSING IT, optioned by Neil Peplow for Insider Films. His television credits include Coronation Street
, The Bill
, and for five years he was a writer on Emmerdale. His 6 part comedy drama, Perfect Partners, has been optioned by Kay Mellor
’s company, Rollem Productions.
) in development with Granada
TV optioned by Kay Mellor's company Rollem Productions. A new play 'Star' is also in the pipeline.
His daughter Becky Simpson
is also in the "business" having been an actress from the age of 10.
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
. He has over 25 years experience in the professional writing industry and currently resides in Todmorden
Todmorden
Todmorden is a market town and civil parish, located 17 miles from Manchester, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley and has a total population of 14,941....
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. His current production 'The Naked Truth', starring Lisa Riley
Lisa Riley
Lisa Riley is a British television presenter and actress probably best known for playing the role of Mandy Dingle in the television soap opera Emmerdale and succeeding Jeremy Beadle on You've Been Framed.-Career:...
of Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
is currently in its second UK tour.
Early years
Dave Simpson has had many different careers on the road to becoming a writer. He is an ex-teacher, ward orderly, hot potato merchant, encyclopaedia salesman and a doffer in a YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
mill although writing was always his passion. He started his career in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and was Resident Writer for the Library Theatre in Manchester for two years. He wrote several plays for them including The Beauty Game, The Cheeky Chappie (about the comedian Max Miller), Soapbox, A Marginal Affair. He also did several Christmas shows, including The Prince and the Pauper, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Secret Garden (which went on a nationwide tour), and The Little Princess (which was then adapted for BBC radio).
Success in the Industry
His adaptation of The Railway ChildrenThe Railway Children
The Railway Children is a children's book by Edith Nesbit, originally serialised in The London Magazine during 1905 and first published in book form in 1906...
is constantly performed by reps and amateurs and the Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
Rep produced a twenty five week nationwide tour. His other stage productions include Single Sex for the Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch, Perfect Partners for the Bristol Old Vic and his comedy, Girls’ Night Out, a hugely successful play which toured for three years and had a ten week run in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
in 1998.
He was also commissioned to write the Girls’ Night Out the screenplay for Jeffrey Taylor of StageScreen Productions and this is due to go into production early next year. His other films include LOVE TIES which received development money from the MEDIA programme of the European Union, RAVING BEAUTIES, and LOSING IT, optioned by Neil Peplow for Insider Films. His television credits include Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
, The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
, and for five years he was a writer on Emmerdale. His 6 part comedy drama, Perfect Partners, has been optioned by Kay Mellor
Kay Mellor
Kay Mellor, OBE is an English actress, scriptwriter, and director best known for her work on several successful television drama series.-Early life:...
’s company, Rollem Productions.
Today
He has a new stage play, The Naked Truth, currently touring the UK for the second time after its successful 13 week tour in Spring 2007. There is a new TV drama (co-written with his wife Diane WhitleyDiane Whitley
Diane Whitley is a professional writer with over 25 years experience. She originally trained as an actor at Manchester Polytechnic School of Theatre following in the footsteps of the likes of Julie Walters, David Threlfall and Richard Griffiths. After encouragement by her husband, Dave Simpson, she...
) in development with Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
TV optioned by Kay Mellor's company Rollem Productions. A new play 'Star' is also in the pipeline.
His daughter Becky Simpson
Becky Simpson
Becky Simpson is a Manchester-born actress, writer and musician who now lives in the Calderdale area of West Yorkshire. In 1997, Simpson won the BBC Talkie of the Year award for her role in Spoonface Steinberg.- Personal life :...
is also in the "business" having been an actress from the age of 10.
Citations, References and Links
- Dave's Official Website
- Theatre Productions Ltd - currently producing Dave's play The Naked Truth and has commissioned his next play The Sex Factor.
- Dench Arnold - Dave Simpson's agent